Soil Science Graduate Program Objectives

to reach their desired outcomes, we expect soil science graduate students:

1. to demonstrate fundamental knowledge of soil components and soil processes;
2. to identify critical issues in fundamental and applied soil science and to formulate scientific approaches to those issues;
3. to be able to apply their knowledge of soil science to solve problems in nonacademic contexts and in collaboration with professionals in other disciplines;
4. to demonstrate professional communication skills, using effective strategies both when writing technical reports, research proposals, journal articles, or popular press articles and when giving oral or poster presentations to scientific or lay audiences;
5. to demonstrate an appreciation of the soil as a fundamental natural resource, deserving of wise use and protection;
6. to demonstrate an understanding of ethical issues that pertain to soil science and science in general;
7. to maintain, in collaboration with the faculty, an environment of discovery, professional pride, collaboration, and mutual support.

Adopted by Soil Science faculty, March 2004.